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Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Roots and Wings...

As I sit at my computer, thinking about what I want to share with you today, the wind is blowing howling outside my window. I thought March was supposed to go out like a lamb? It's Spring Break week for us (yes, homeschoolers need Spring Break, too!), and my niece, Mary Reagan is spending the day with us.

The kids have been outside at least three times this morning. Just to look out the window, it appears to be a beautiful, Spring day. But step outside and the wind blows hard. And a little cold. They are back in the house within just a few minutes. I watch them walking back, and they literally have to lean in to keep their balance. They look like they could be picked up at any moment and just swept away. Well, whatd'ya know? A perfect topic for today's post.

There's an old saying about roots and wings. The idea is to ground your children enough that they know who they are, while at the same time, give them wings to grow and explore and become their own person. Beautiful words. Scary idea. Seriously. I just did the math, and you know what? Jewell is off to college in 7 years. That's just 2,555 days. 61, 320 hours. The way time flies, it seems like next week.

I want her to be successful. Happy. I want her to do well in whatever career she chooses. I want her to find the (gulp) perfect guy. All of that, I want for my child. Both of them. But there's plenty of time for that. That kind of stuff happens whether we want it to or not. Time moves on. We can't stop it. Or them. Wings sprout and grow. That's just the way it works. So instead, I think I'll focus on their roots.

Roots nourish. Roots ground. Roots determine growth. We don't see roots like we do wings, so we sometimes forget about them. But we need to focus on them. Cultivate them. Fertilize them. Roots hold them steady when the winds blow. And man, do they ever blow. Roots allow them to play in the sun, but stand through the wind and rain. Roots allow them to...grow.

"Let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him, so you will grow in faith, strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught. Let your lives overflow with thanksgiving for all he has done." Colossians 2:7 (NLT)

I really think I'm more of a "Time In a Bottle" mama, than a "roots and wings" mother. At least I wish that's what I could be. But wings do sprout, and kids do grow. Maybe the purpose of growing strong roots is to allow them to be transplanted when the time comes. And that time is coming. It's about 3,679,200 minutes away. But it's coming.